Bustabad played with Fidrych in '82

Dan Chalkof the Daily Newschalk@mdn.net

Published 8:00 pm, Monday, April 13, 2009

It was July 1, 1982. Mark "The Bird" Fidrych was pitching for the host Triple-A Pawtucket (R.I.) Red Sox, against Dave Righetti of the Columbus Clippers, in a matchup of two former American League Rookies of the Year.

The highly-anticipated game drew 9,400 fans to Pawtucket's McCoy Stadium, which had a capacity of only 5,800. And then-20-year-old Juan Bustabad had one of the best seats in the house.

"I was the shortstop (for Pawtucket)," the Great Lakes Loons' manager said Monday night in talking about the death of Fidrych earlier that day.

Fidrych, the AL Rookie of the Year with the Detroit Tigers in 1976, earned the win that night in 1982 as Pawtucket, a Boston Red Sox affiliate, came back to beat the Clippers, a New York Yankees affiliate, 7-5. Righetti had been AL Rookie of the Year in 1981 with the Yankees.

Bustabad, at the time in his third year of professional baseball, recalled Fidrych as many fans do - as a likable, fun-loving guy.

"He was real funny and great to play for," Bustabad said. "I knew who he was and I just wanted to meet him."

Fidrych, whose Tigers' career ended in 1980 due to injuries, returned to baseball with Pawtucket in 1982. He did not make it back to the majors and retired from the game in 1983.

"It's sad to hear," Bustabad said of Fidrych's death. "My thoughts are with his family."

Loons' pitching coach Danny Darwin remembers playing against Fidrych in the late 1970s, when Darwin was with the Rangers and Fidrych with the Tigers.

"He was great for the game," Darwin said. "He put a lot of fun and a lot of spark into it.

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"Baseball's a family, and it's tough (when something like this happens)," Darwin added. "My heart goes out to his family."